Purpose
Dams, seawalls, and levees play a vital role in protecting people, property, and infrastructure in Massachusetts and are among the first structures impacted by climate change. Simultaneously, many dams no longer serve a public purpose and present opportunities for restoring ecological systems. Funding for repair and removal of these structures provides critical support to communities as they build resilience to climate change.
The Dam and Seawall Repair or Removal Grant Program provides grants to assist local government bodies and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with the repair or removal of aging and outdated infrastructure. The program promotes climate resilience by supporting critical repairs to protective structures for improved public health and safety, as well as the removal of obsolete structures for ecological restoration. Funding is authorized under St. 2018, c. 209, line item 2000-7074.
General Requirements
Grants for engineering, permitting, and construction are available for the repair or removal of dams, seawalls, levees, and other inland flood control and costal protection infrastructure. Grants are awarded on an annual, competitive basis with a focus on comprehensive permitting projects and shovel-ready construction projects that promote public health, public safety, or ecological restoration, either through improvements to deficient structures for flood resilience or the removal of obsolete structures for the restoration of natural ecosystems.
Grants are typically awarded for a contract period of two fiscal years. Submission requirements may vary by round. If applying for a construction grant, applicants are expected to have submitted their projects to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office (MEPA Office) for regulatory review prior to submitting an application. Applicants whose projects are not subject to MEPA review must explain.
How to Apply
The Dam and Seawall Grant Program is part of the ECO One Stop, a single application process for applying to various climate and environmental resilience grants in Massachusetts. Grant rounds typically open in the early winter and are preceded by an optional, but highly recommended, Experion of Interest (EOI) period in the early fall. Interested applicants can sign up for e-alerts to stay informed about future rounds.
Past applicants to the ECO One Stop can view their submissions on EEA’s online Grant Management System (GMS). Documents from past rounds, including past ECO One Stop RFRs and application templates, can be found on the Commonwealth’s e-procurement platform, COMMBUYS. Search using the keyword “ECO One Stop.”